Puerto Rico: Death toll from hurricane climbs to 64 with 2 'indirect deaths'

The number of people who died in Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Maria has risen to 64, the island's Department of P...

Posted: Dec 11, 2017 9:15 AM

Updated: Dec 11, 2017 9:15 AM

The number of people who died in Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Maria has risen to 64, the island's Department of Public Safety said Saturday.

The government added two more storm-related deaths to the official total. However, investigations by CNN and other news organizations show the overall number may be much higher.

"These deaths that are certified today as indirect deaths related to Hurricane Maria are the result of investigations into cases that have been brought to our consideration," DPS Secretary Hector M. Pesquera said in a news release.

One of the cases certified Saturday by the DPS and confirmed by the department's spokeswoman was Jose "Pepe" Sanchez.

When Sanchez collapsed during the storm, emergency medical personnel could not make it to the house. Doctors classified his death as natural and the government did not include it in the storm death toll at first.

CNN reached out to Sanchez's wife Edith, who is still without power. Speaking on the news of her husband's death being included in the official death toll, Edith Perez said, "At least now, I feel a sense of justice."

The government had not yet reached out to Edith Perez when CNN made contact with her Saturday.

The other person had health problems and the death certificate said the death was natural, the DPS said. The death of that person, who was not named, was "indirectly related to the hurricane," the DPS said.

On December 2, the DPS reported four other deaths indirectly caused by the storm -- a case of exposure to carbon monoxide, a suicide, a person run over by his own vehicle and a death from complications following a fall. Those four deaths brought the official tally at that point to 62.

Counting the dead

Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20 as a Category 4 hurricane. The energy grid was heavily damaged, causing an island-wide power outage. Damages are estimated at $45 billion-$95 billion.

The death toll quickly came into dispute.

Puerto Rican officials say they base their death count on information they receive, but apparently many "indirect" deaths, such as Sanchez's, were not counted.

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